Saturday 7th May 2005

Southampton started the brightest but it was Palace who took the lead through Fitz Hall (34), who had signed from Southampton earlier in the season. The central defender finished on a turn that Andy Johnson would have been proud of.

Unfortunately, the lead only lasted three minutes. Tony Popovic handled in the penalty area and Peter Crouch (37 pen) kept his nerve from the spot to send the teams in level at the break.

Palace came out and were by far the better side in the second half but the game exploded into life just before the hour when Gonzalo Sorondo and Crouch clashed – resulting in red cards for both men.

18 minutes from time Nicola Ventola nearly wrote himself into Palace folklore. The Italian had signed for Palace on deadline day in the summer, but injury meant that he barely kicked a ball – until now. A speculative ball over the top somehow saw Ventola through on goal with not a Southampton defender in sight. Anton Niemi was all too late in coming to meet the Palace striker and the finish sent Selhurst Park wild.

With the game ticking over into stoppage time, Danny Higginbotham doomed both Clubs to the Championship. None other than Kevin Phillip’s had time down the left to deliver across the face of goal and the defender was on hand to tap home at the far post to level the game – it was by far one of the toughest goals that a generation of Palace fans had to take.

Tuesday 7th May 2013

Mile Jedinak is named Crystal Palace Player of the Year and on the same night at Fairfield Halls, the new Crystal Palace crest is unveiled.